A Treasure To Be Shared

St John Henry Newman, Victoria, BC | Betrothal Rite The Ordinariate is blessed with a patrimonial treasure of tremendous beauty and goodness. The Solemn Rite of Betrothal might be familiar to more than a few Anglicans. It is a beautiful gift that helps couples enter more fully into their emerging communion in Christ and provides an acknowledgement of the path ahead, ornamented with avenues through which a couple may dispose themselves to God's grace. Betrothal betroth  (v.) | Online Etymology Dictionary c. 1300, betrouthen , "to promise to marry (a woman)," from be- , here probably with a sense of "thoroughly," + Middle English treowðe "truth," from Old English treowðe "truth, a pledge". It is attested from 1560s as "contract to give (a woman) in marriage to another, affiance." Middle English also had a verb truth ( treuthen ) "become betrothed" (c. 1300). -al suffix forming nouns of action from verbs, mostly from Latin an...

When Joseph Ratzinger was elected Pope, this blogger, like many, wept for joy. When Pope Benedict XVI resigned, this blogger, confused and disappointed, wept in sorrow. Yesterday morning I woke up to the news that Pope Leo XIV, Cardinal Prevost, had been elected by his fellow cardinals to the Office of Peter. The video that popped up on the phone captured His Holiness visibly emotional. A man in his position unmoved by the moment would be suspect of pride. Instead, it was not pride but utter sincerity on display, a sincerity of heart born by a man appreciating the profundity of the moment and the intensity of the crowd gathered to acknowledge God's gift to the Church: the ministry of Peter. Projection One's predisposition toward a conclave can say much more about us as individuals than about the man now occupying the Office of Peter. Thankfully, the distraction of personal goings on has provided this blogger with a useful dissociative state that is helping him to avoid gravitat...

O Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, vouchsafe unto Thy Holy Church a wise and righteous universal shepherd, keeper of the keys, who may safeguard the Faith and direct Thy flock unto everlasting life in Thy Name; Thou who dost liveth and reigneth with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever one God, world without end. Amen. Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be. Holy Michael, archangel: pray for the cardinals of the holy Roman Church; pray for us.

1957 Enid Mary Chadwick (26 October 1902 – 24 October 1987) was a English artist known for religious art and children's religious books. The daughter of an Anglican minister, Chadwick attended an Anglican convent school in Oxford run by the sisters of the Society of the Holy and Undivided Trinity . She lived in Walsingham for more than fifty years. Graham Howard photograph Photo Gallery: The High Altar Reredos https://www.walsinghamanglican.org.uk/photo-gallery/high-altar-reredos/ Chadwick trained at the Brighton School of Art (founded 1859) prior to going to Walsingham in 1934. Chadwick contributed extensively to the Anglican Shrine's artwork, including murals, statues, and other decorative elements. See also: https://www.churchtimes.co.uk/articles/2024/19-july/features/features/enid-chadwick-brought-colour-to-the-shrine The Reverend Charles Smith, a later Administrator of the Shrine, who gave the address at the funeral for Chadwick (28 October 1987), described her style as “d...

Consider for a moment the election of Pope Saint John Paul II. The sainted pope became a vehicle through which God brought down the communist empire of Soviet Russia, which fell without a shot being fired. In the history of the world, God has spoken through popes to call people out of sin. Recall the prophetic document Humanae Vitae of Pope Saint Paul VI, which reminded all that "(t)he transmission of human life is a most serious role in which married people collaborate freely and responsibly with God the Creator." Many horrendous things have come to pass because people have not heeded the truth of Humanae Vitae . As the conclave approaches, the men entrusted with the selection of a new pontiff must confront the gravity of their role. They stand before God, entrusted with the election of the Successor of Saint Peter, the first pope, the Apostle chosen by Christ Himself to feed His sheep. Let's review the oaths that the cardinal-electors must take as they participate in t...

"The College of Cardinals has requested that all Catholics pray for them, so that they may listen the Holy Spirit as they discern whom to choose as the next Pope." https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2025-04/cardinals-general-congregation-request-prayers-conclave.html 1. Collect (For the Election of the Pope) from  Divine Worship: the Missal , p. 1005. We humbly beseech thee, O Lord: that of thy unbounded mercy thou wouldest grant unto the holy Roman Church a Pontiff, who by his tender care towards us may ever find favour in thy sight, and, studying to preserve thy people in safety, may ever be honoured by us to the glory of thy Name; through Jesus Christ thy Son our Lord, who liveth and reigneth with thee in the unity of the Holy Spirit, ever one God, world without end. Amen. 2. Adapted from  The Roman Missa l. O God, eternal Shepherd, who dost govern Thy flock with unfailing solicitude, grant in Thy boundless paternal love a pastor for Thy Church, one who shall ...

? doubter, agnostic ! zealot If the '?', then seek the grace to overcome doubts. Lord, I believe; help my unbelief! Mark 9:24 Ten thousand difficulties do not make one doubt. Saint John Henry Newman, Apologia Pro Vita Sua If the '!', then seek the grace of humility to serve God at all times for the salvation of souls. The zealot loves Tradition, but if does not possess love, he is but a noisy gong (1 Corinthians 13:1). The zealot is always " prepared to make a defense to any one who calls (him) to account for the hope that is in (him), yet does it with gentleness and reverence (1 Peter 3:15). If zealots are prone to any kind of excess, zealots can be prone to a form of toxic enthusiasm. That is, they might make a defense of something by denigrating the opposition. It may be true that the opposition falls short on a particular issue, but rarely do people win others to a cause by promoting themselves at the expense of another's reputation. To make a proper defen...

CARDINAL AI a.k.a. Mr. Roboto I'm not a robot without emotions, I'm not what you see I've come to help you with your problems so we can be free I'm not a hero, I'm not the saviour, forget what you know I'm just a man whose circumstances went beyond his control Beyond my control, we all need control I need control, we all need control I am thee modern man (secret, secret, I've got a secret) Who hides behind a mask (secret, secret, I've got a secret) So no one else can see (secret, secret, I've got a secret) My true identity Mr. Roboto by Styx (1983) N.B. This blogger acknowledges there is no sure way to predict the outcome of a papal conclave. This post is intended for entertainment purposes only. The text provided has been copied from the sources without edits. In time, we'll see whether or not technology hit or missed the mark. What do you get when you ask four AI assistants for input on the matter of leading contenders (for the papacy) or papab...

Darren G. Davis / STORM Comics/ Bluewater O God, Who by Thine unspeakable providence was pleased to number Thy servant, Francis, among the Sovereign Pontiffs, grant, we beseech Thee, that he who reigned as the vicar of Thy Son on earth, may be joined in the fellowship with Thy holy Pontiffs forevermore; through the same Christ our Lord. Amen. [ 7 minute read ] As popes go, Pope Francis' was not as bad as some imagine... or was he? Yes, his comments and actions, while perhaps well intentioned, could be puzzling. His soundbites could be frustrating for their lack of precision. Pope Francis was born just ahead of an era characterized by global war and totalitarianism. By the time Jorge Bergoglio reached his late twenties, the character of that era had metastasized into a rabid disdain for authority and become a generation known for its skepticism, licentiousness, and reactionary behaviour that has spawned devastating contemporary identity crises. The world had entered into a prolonged...

Pope Francis 17 December 1936 – 21 April 2025 Rest in peace; rise in glory. Regrets, I've had a few But then again, too few to mention I did what I had to do And saw it through without exemption I planned each charted course Each careful step along the byway And more, much more than this I did it my way Yes, there were times, I'm sure you knew When I bit off more than I could chew But through it all, when there was doubt I ate it up and spit it out I faced it all, and I stood tall And did it my way My Way English-language version by Paul Anka of Comme d'habitude by Jacques Revaux, Gilles Thibaut, and Claude François. Here's to hoping that readers will appreciate the preceding excerpt as intended, a little light-hearted commentary in the midst of such a large event as the death of a pope. Say what?! There are professional writers who are weighing in, some with the acid of contempt, some with the syrup of niceness, and some with honest and balanced reflections. Death tend...